Chinese premier chairs State Council executive meeting

BEIJING, Aug. 31 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting in Beijing on Monday.

The meeting studied and implemented the guiding principles of remarks made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at a recent Party leadership meeting on rescue and relief work following a devastating mudslide that struck Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Aug. 26.

Emphasizing the need to fully implement key emergency rescue and response tasks, the meeting called for continued all-out efforts to search for and rescue missing persons while guarding against secondary disasters. It also urged stronger monitoring and early warning, as well as active international coordination and cooperation.

Efforts should be intensified to identify and address risks of all kinds and further strengthen emergency management capabilities to prevent major and particularly serious disasters, safeguard people's lives and property, and maintain social stability, according to the meeting.

The meeting also reviewed progress in developing urban underground pipeline networks. Stressing that such networks are a key component of modern infrastructure, the meeting called for efforts to accelerate their development in a systematic approach, eliminate safety hazards at the source, and enhance the quality and functionality of urban areas.

The meeting studied measures to promote the high-quality development of attracting investment. It emphasized the need to clearly define government practices that are encouraged or prohibited in this regard and to further regulate local governments' economic promotion activities.

Pursuing investment should focus more on improving the business environment, fostering industrial ecosystems and providing high-quality administrative services, according to the meeting.

The meeting discussed and approved in principle a draft amendment to the law on the administration of tax collection and decided to submit it to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. It called for efforts to improve tax services, better protect taxpayers' lawful rights and interests, promote tax fairness, and enhance fiscal and taxation governance.

The meeting also reviewed and approved a draft amendment to the regulations for implementing the audit law.